One of the first attempts to peer into the living human brain was carr

Question

Project RC Butler 2020  -  Participate and win GMAT Club Tests.   
Passage # 20, Date: 10-Apr-2020
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One of the first attempts to peer into the living human brain was carried out by a neurosurgeon named Wilder Penfield in the 1950. Penfield opened the skulls of conscious epileptic patients under local anesthesia, and A induced a mild electric current into their brains in an attempt to pinpoint the source of seizure activity and then remove that piece of tissue. What he found was even more remarkable than what he initially set out to do. By stimulating different points on the lower parts of the brain (the temporal lobes), he elicited distinct and vivid memories in his patients. These memories were more precise than usual memories, and incorporated different modalities such as visual and auditory sense impressions. Penfield’s patients reported different types of memories (a moment from childhood, a recollection of a tune). When the same location in the temporal lobe was stimulated again the same memory reappeared. Could it be that a physical map of memories exists with in our brains?

One might mistakenly conclude from Penfields experiment that particular memories are stored in specific sites in the brain such that the memory of ones grandmother is stored in one area and the memory of what one had for dinner is stored in another. While this description is imprecise, the alternative theory, that memory is stored in a  unitary superstructure , is also inaccurate. Although it is true that the temporal lobes play a critical role in memory processes, evidence from brain imaging studies strongly indicates that memory is divided among a range of distinct but interacting neural systems, each contributing to a unique feature of memory. One system may be involved to a larger extent in encoding or retrieval, while another may deal with the process of consolidating memory. One specific structure is more active in emotional memory, while others are employed in working memory, semantic memory, and episodic memory. These multiple memory systems are constantly sharing information and modulating one another.    1 
 1. A good title for this passage would be

A. The Life and Work of Neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield
B. The Physical Organization of Memory in the Human Brain
C. The Cognitive Functions of the Temporal Lobes
D. Historical Progress in the Search for an Epilepsy Cure
E. Where Are Childhood Memories Located in the Brain?

2 
 2. Which of the following is mentioned in Paragraph 2 with regard to the neural systems of memory?

A. A specific brain structure cannot be involved in more than one aspect of memory.
B. The same neural system is primarily involved in both emotional memory and semantic memory.
C. The lower parts of the brain play a critical role in memory processes.
D. There is a specific brain region that stores the memory of last nights dinner.
E. Epilepsy will affect the storage and retrieval of memories.

3 
 3. When the author talks about a “unitary superstructure,” ( Highlighted ) he is referring to

A. the brain as a whole
B. a theory of memory organization preferred by most scientists
C. the cortex of the brain
D. a specific brain region in which all memories are stored
E. the sum of all memory processes, such as encoding, retrieval, and consolidation

4 
 4. All of the following are mentioned in Paragraph 1 as part of the surgical procedure Penfield performed on his patients EXCEPT

A. Penfield stimulated different points in his patients' temporal lobes.
B. Penfield's epileptic patients were not totally anesthetized during the surgery.
C. The patients' brains were given small electric shocks during surgery.
D. Penfield removed the pieces of tissue responsible for inducing seizures in his patients.
E. The patients' skulls were wide open throughout the surgery.

SiffyB · Accepted Answer

1. A good title for this passage would be
 
A. The Life and Work of Neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield
  B. The Physical Organization of Memory in the Human Brain
  C. The Cognitive Functions of the Temporal Lobes
D. Historical Progress in the Search for an Epilepsy Cure
E. Where Are Childhood Memories Located in the Brain?

Throughout the passage, we are mainly concerned about the memory organization in the human brain. An experiment is discussed. One of its wrongly assumed conclusions is debunked. An alternative theory is also mentioned which does not hold good. Finally, the actual organization of memory is discussed. Thus, a good title for the passage encompassing the aforementioned must be "The Physical Organization of Memory in Human Brain".

2. Which of the following is mentioned in Paragraph 2 with regard to the neural systems of memory?
 
A. A specific brain structure cannot be involved in more than one aspect of memory.
B. The same neural system is primarily involved in both emotional memory and semantic memory.
  C. The lower parts of the brain play a critical role in memory processes. 
 D. There is a specific brain region that stores the memory of last nights dinner.
E. Epilepsy will affect the storage and retrieval of memories.

The temporal lobes form the lower parts of the brain(as mentioned in para 1). In paragraph two, it is vividly stated that the temporal lobes play a critical role in memory processes. Thus, option (C) is the correct answer. 
Option (A) is opposite of what is stated in the passage as structures can share information and, thus, are involved in different aspects of memory.
Option (B) is again opposite of what is stated in the passage. The passage states that one neural system can be primarily involved with one type of memory, not mroe than one types of memory. It have, however, have a smaller role to play in other types of memories.
Option (D) states what is mentioned to be one of the wrongly assumed conclusions from the learnings of passage 1.
(E) is out of scope of the passage.

3. When the author talks about a “unitary superstructure,” (Highlighted) he is referring to
 
A. the brain as a whole
B. a theory of memory organization preferred by most scientists
C. the cortex of the brain
  D. a specific brain region in which all memories are stored 
 E. the sum of all memory processes, such as encoding, retrieval, and consolidation

This is a good inference question because the answer is not explicitly stated in the passage. We must read the information, connect the dots and arrive at the correct answer.
Carefully sifting through the second paragraph will give you an idea about what the author is referring to. He says that different sites in the brain for different memories is incorrect conclusion. Also, memory stored in a unitary superstructure is incorrect information. This unitary superstructure refers to the lower parts of the brain - one subpart of the brain where all infromation MAY be stored. Notice that this sentence is immediately followed by 'although' which means that the direction of the discussion will be changed from the following sentence. The following sentence says that "although temporal lobes play a critical role..." - this means that unitary superstructures mean the temporal lobes.

4. All of the following are mentioned in Paragraph 1 as part of the surgical procedure Penfield performed on his patients EXCEPT
 
A. Penfield stimulated different points in his patients' temporal lobes.
B. Penfield's epileptic patients were not totally anesthetized during the surgery.
C. The patients' brains were given small electric shocks during surgery.
  D. Penfield removed the pieces of tissue responsible for inducing seizures in his patients. 
 E. The patients' skulls were wide open throughout the surgery.

All of these options are stated in the first paragraph except option (D). Option D is stated as something that Penfield had thought of performing but nowhere has it been stated whether it was actually performed. According to me, D is the correct option.

minustark · Answer

1. A good title for this passage would be

A. The Life and Work of Neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield
 B. The Physical Organization of Memory in the Human Brain 
C. The Cognitive Functions of the Temporal Lobes
D. Historical Progress in the Search for an Epilepsy Cure
E. Where Are Childhood Memories Located in the Brain?

2. Which of the following is mentioned in Paragraph 2 with regard to the neural systems of memory?
 
A. A specific brain structure cannot be involved in more than one aspect of memory. 
B. The same neural system is primarily involved in both emotional memory and semantic memory.
C. The lower parts of the brain play a critical role in memory processes.
D. There is a specific brain region that stores the memory of last nights dinner.
E. Epilepsy will affect the storage and retrieval of memories.

3. When the author talks about a “unitary superstructure,” (Highlighted) he is referring to CD the brain as a whole

A. the brain as a whole
B. a theory of memory organization preferred by most scientists
C. the cortex of the brain
 D. a specific brain region in which all memories are stored 
E. the sum of all memory processes, such as encoding, retrieval, and consolidation

4. All of the following are mentioned in Paragraph 1 as part of the surgical procedure Penfield performed on his patients EXCEPT

A. Penfield stimulated different points in his patients' temporal lobes.
B. Penfield's epileptic patients were not totally anesthetized during the surgery.
C. The patients' brains were given small electric shocks during surgery.
D. Penfield removed the pieces of tissue responsible for inducing seizures in his patients.
 E. The patients' skulls were wide open throughout the surgery.

Sakshikothari · Answer

1) C because the passage has mainly said about how memories in brain functions.

2) C because it is mentioned in the passage. And A is not correct because in the passage it has been mentioned that their are distinct ranges of neural systems and they keep on interacting and sharing the information and modulating.

3) D because in second para it is said that the unitary superstructure is the alternative theory of lines proposed above in the passage.

4) E because it was not mentioned in the passage

Posted from my mobile device

SSandy066 · Answer

1. A good title for this passage would be

A. The Life and Work of Neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield. -.> Wrong, Passage is only mentioned Wilder neurosurgery , nothing about his life
B. The Physical Organization of Memory in the Human Brain.-> nothing about physical organization. Wrong.
C. The Cognitive Functions of the Temporal Lobes. - > correct  
 Explanation 
Para 1 “…stimulating different points on the lower parts of the brain (the temporal lobes), he elicited distinct and vivid memories in his patients..”
Para 2 “…Although it is true that the temporal lobes play a critical role in memory processes, evidence from brain imaging studies strongly…”

D. Historical Progress in the Search for an Epilepsy Cure. Out of scope-Wrong
E. Where Are Childhood Memories Located in the Brain? Out of scope-Wrong

2. Which of the following is mentioned in Paragraph 2 with regard to the neural systems of memory?

A. A specific brain structure cannot be involved in more than one aspect of memory.
B. The same neural system is primarily involved in both emotional memory and semantic memory.
C. The lower parts of the brain play a critical role in memory processes.  -> correct  
  Explanation
Para2. “… the temporal lobes play a critical role in memory processes, evidence from brain imaging studies strongly indicates that memory is divided among a range of distinct but interacting neural systems, each contributing to a unique feature of memory…..”

D. There is a specific brain region that stores the memory of last nights dinner.
E. Epilepsy will affect the storage and retrieval of memories.

3. When the author talks about a “unitary superstructure,” (Highlighted) he is referring to CD the brain as a whole

A. the brain as a whole
B. a theory of memory organization preferred by most scientists. 
C. the cortex of the brain. 
D. a specific brain region in which all memories are stored  -> correct   
  Explanation. “… mistakenly conclude from Penfields experiment that particular memories are stored in specific sites in the brain such that the memory of ones grandmother is stored in one area and the memory of what one had for dinner is stored in another. While this description is imprecise, the alternative theory, that memory is stored in a unitary superstructure, is also inaccurate ” 
E. the sum of all memory processes, such as encoding, retrieval, and consolidation

4. All of the following are mentioned in Paragraph 1 as part of the surgical procedure Penfield performed on his patients EXCEPT

A. Penfield stimulated different points in his patients' temporal lobes.
B. Penfield's epileptic patients were not totally anesthetized during the surgery.
C. The patients' brains were given small electric shocks during surgery.
D. Penfield removed the pieces of tissue responsible for inducing seizures in his patients.
E. The patients' skulls were wide open throughout the surgery.  -> correct.    in the passage not mentioned that skull is wide open.

Gowtham91 · Answer

My answers:
1. (B)
2. (A)
3. (D)
4. (E)

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OAs of this RC are posted now, if anyone have any question kindly let me know.

1. B
2. C
3. D
4. D

Explanation here by  abcdddddd  are 4/4 and by  SSandy066  is at par.  abcdddddd  well done.

Good Luck.

Gowtham91 · Answer

Can you post OE for 4th question.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

4. All of the following are mentioned in Paragraph 1 as part of the surgical procedure Penfield performed on his patients EXCEPT

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

The passage tells us that  "by stimulating different points on the lower parts of the brain (the temporal lobes) (Penfield) elicited distinct and vivid memories in his patients."  That's what is described in  (A) , so we can rule it out.

We're also told that patients were given local, not total, anesthesia, confirming  choice (B) .

And we know that Penfield used a mild electric current on his patients' brains,  (C) .

What about (D)? We know that Penfield's operations were  "an attempt to pinpoint the source of seizure activity and then remove that piece of tissue."  But the passage never tells us whether he succeeded in achieving this goal. So  (D)  is the answer.

As for  (E) , we're told in the second sentence that this was the case.

Answer: D

Hope it helps

SSandy066 · Answer

Kindly provide official explanation -Question-1

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

1. A good title for this passage would be

Difficulty Level:   550

Explanation

A question about a title is a global question, and it needs a global answer.

(A)  wrongly focuses on Penfield, who only comes into  Paragraph 1 .

(C)  is out of scope: we're focused on memory, not the general question of the temporal lobes and their cognitive functions.

(D) and (E)  are also out of scope, with each referring to a single detail in the passage.

(B) is correct.

Hope it helps

carouselambra · Answer

A small doubt regarding OE for Q4.
The passage states : " ...their brains in an attempt to pinpoint the source of seizure activity and then remove that piece of tissue.  What he found was even more remarkable than .."

My doubt : Agree that there is nothing give regarding the removal of tissue. But the line "what he found was" seems like an implicit explanation that he did actually carry out the activity. Using elimination, D was left, but I couldn't understand why.

Linhtang · Answer

Hi @SajjiadAhmad, I dont totally agree with the explaination of question 4. The passage clearly states that "A induced a mild electric current into their brains in an attempt to pinpoint  the source of seizure activity  and then  remove that piece of tissue ", and choice D of Q4 states that "Penfield removed the pieces of tissue responsible for inducing seizures in his patients". I mean we dont need to know whether Penfield succeeded in removing the tissue or not, we just need to know that he did remove the tisse. And it is clearly ans D.
While in E, the passage does not state Penfield opened the skulls widely or not, jut open the skulls. 
Please point out my misunderstanding for this question. Thank you.

bM22 · Answer

Hi  Linhtang ,

Let me know if this helps.

" Penfield opened the skulls  of conscious epileptic patients under local anesthesia, and A induced a mild electric current into their brains  in an attempt to  pinpoint the source of seizure activity and then remove that piece of tissue".

Option E is clearly mentioned in the passage, that Penfield opened the skulls of the patients, whereas, on a careful reading we see that option D is mentioned as: Penfield induced a mild electric current in an attempt to pinpoint the source of seizure and remove that piece of tissue. Attempt doesn't necessarily mean he did it, it simply means, he was aiming to do it. Since it cannot be inferred with certainty, we cannot say that Penfield removed the affected tissue.

Thanks.

Gowtham91 · Answer

Agree with your explanation for option D. But on the similar lines where is it mentioned that the skulls are WIDE open THROUGHOUT the surgery (option E). It is neither explicitly mentioned nor we can infer from the passage. OPENED as mentioned in passage cannot be taken for WIDE open, and also MAY not have been open throughout the surgery (can't infer or mentioned)

Thanks.

AnirudhaS · Answer

I fell for the same trap! However, looking back I guess I misread the part - "an attempt to pinpoint the source of seizure activity and then remove that piece of tissue." I read it in a way , say we have only 3 tissues in the brain available A,B and C. I now stimulate the the temporal lobe and think that B is the source of the problem. I remove B anyways. For me, the 'attempt to pinpoint' and 'actually removing' are joined by the conjunction 'and' and are two independent actions. So as far as I am concerned whether "my attempt" to pinpoint went wrong, (selected B instead of A), I still go forward and remove B. Of course my patient is not very happy that I removed the wrong tissue, but I am not going to confess that!!

what do you think bm2201 Gowtham91

Gowtham91 · Answer

Hi  AnirudhaS ,

Both you and  bm2201  are right in explaining option D and I am in agreement. I am not able to understand how option E is inferrable. IMO both option D & option E are not mentioned in the passage. Let me know if I am missing anything from the passage.

AnirudhaS · Answer

Agreed, i saw the word WIDE and my impulsive reaction was out of scope --> OUT, and did not think twice about it why. I would not spend a lot of time into this, this is after all non-OG passage. With passages from 'other' sources, all I am interested is to increase my reading and comprehending skills, plus if I can quickly get to the last 2 choices. Also I firmly believe that in the real GMAT luck plays a significant role in your verbal scores, so as long as you are getting down to the last 2 choices, you have a 50% chance of scoring big!

bM22 · Answer

AnirudhaS , Totally agree with you

. Even I feel option E is more logical and if thought practically, makes more sense. Just an attempt to pinpoint the tissue, doesn't necessarily mean, its "actually" removed.

Linhtang · Answer

Hi  bm2201 , thank you for your response. I have got why D is wrong now, but not totally satisfied with the OA. Anw, I think  AnirudhaS  is right in thinking that after all this passage is from non-OG source, and I should use it to practice, not spend too much time into this question.

One of the first attempts to peer into the living human brain was carr

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One of the first attempts to peer into the living human brain was carr

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615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

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